Publisher's Summary

Hot on the heels of the New York Times best seller William Shakespeare's Star Wars comes the next two installments of the original trilogy: William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back and William Shakespeare's The Jedi Doth Return. Return to the star-crossed galaxy far, far away as the brooding young hero, a power-mad emperor, and their jesting droids match wits, struggle for power, and soliloquize in elegant and impeccable iambic pentameter. These two plays offer essential listening for all ages. Something Wookiee this way comes! Read by Daniel Davis, Jonathan Davis, Ian Doescher, Jeff Gurner, January LaVoy, and Marc Thompson.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful

Shakespeare: Meant to be Listened To

Do you like Shakespeare, particularly when performed? Do you like Star Wars? Then pick up this dramatization already!

While the 'Shakespeare's Star Wars' series is definitely Shakespeare-Lite (it's got the right form and syntax, but is missing much of the bard's metaphoric language that makes his work both so rich, and so frustrating!), it's clear the author is an expert on the subject matter. It's the kind of thing you listen to because it keeps you laughing - many parts are just downright goofy (for example, the space slug's soliloquy), and clearly not meant to be taken seriously. If you don't like Shakespeare the gimmick will likely wear out its welcome, but with few exceptions I found it kept me grinning until the last minute.

A final note: the voice actors were perfect for their roles. I read the first play in this trilogy, and I must say - audiobook is absolutely the way to go. Fifteen bucks well spent.

I had a blast with Verily, A New Hope, and multiple listens gave me something new to appreciate in that venerable old tale. I'm guessing you did too, otherwise why would you be seeking this one out? The Empire Striketh Back proves to hit the same marks. On the surface, it's just fun. The actors clearly had as much fun performing it as I did listening. Combine that with the John Williams music and the classic sound effects, it's hard not to love this. Where else will you hear dialogue for a wampa, a space slug, and an AT-AT walker?

As with the original, I want very much to see this performed on a stage in an all-out production. A work like this just demands the full treatment.